Crochet doll – Evelina Crafts

Lara

Lara, who turned 13 last month, has been my oldest daughter’s friend since they were few months old, so her birthday present had to be special. Also she is half Japanese and since ‘Amigurumi’ dolls originate from there, I had a little pressure to make this Amigurumi be worthy of its name.

I planned her slightly differently, but at some point the doll took over and started to tell me what she wants… like a hat with a feather, or buckled shoes. I made her a belt, but she didn’t like it. My shoulder was aching by the end of the week from constant crocheting, I couldn’t stop. Crocheting is a true addiction!

I used 0.75mm and 1mm hooks and Anchor cotton no.8. On a wire base.

Here is a little overview of the process with little explanation in the photo captions

The picture wire was a perfect find for making fingers

Fingers are a bit fiddly job.

The legs came a little plumpier than I hoped.

Victorian bloomers

She even has toes, which are about to be forever hidden in the sewn on shoes

Somehow I chose the same colours as my previous big doll! I must be in my blue period, like Picasso.

The efforts paid off – Lara liked it.

Amigurumi doll Anna, 12.5 cm

This is getting a little repetitive, I know, but having 5 children means that birthday parties they are invited to occur almost every other weekend. By now quite few children in our circle know that I crochet dolls and that is what expected to be a present.

This one is of a 12 year old Anna, my oldest daughter’s friend. She is English, but she came out with a little bit of Ukrainian hint to her somehow. When I started crocheting she even started to look like a Spider-Man, so I had to hide those blue leggings under a long skirt.

A studio for an artist

Continuing the theme of housing our crocheted family members into decent places to ‘live’ I decided to treat myself (as a doll) to a ‘detached’ house, or rather an artist studio. Just as well the Hobbycraft store had a perfect size wooden house for that purpose. It turned out to look more like a countess’ boudoir at the end but never mind.

I meant to take pictures of it ‘in the making’, but was so engrossed in the process that I completely forgot. I can only add that for decorating the walls and the floor I used the offcuts from some discontinued fabric/wallpaper sample books bought cheaply from the local sewing shop. The pictures on the walls are original art, drawn by our children and the flowers are real and come from our garden. You may also see the crocheted portraits of me and my husband on the wall, which sometimes leave the room ‘on loan’ to my ears as earrings.

Amigurumi – self-portrait

I started this doll just because I can’t stop crocheting them at the moment. I didn’t have a clear idea who it will be, but wanted to experiment with making her stand on high heels, and also use some nice colours of the Anchor cotton I got from eBay.

And then at the face and hair making stage I decided to make myself. All children are done – they need a mother! At least as a doll I may dream to have a thin waiste line and stand confidently on high heels. Surprisingly, she is more firm on her heels than my previous dolls on their ‘flat’ feet.

Kalina ballerina. Amigurumi

I am becoming an expert on ballerinas – this is now a third one in my CV.

It was an order for a birthday present and a portrait of the birthday girl. This time I bypassed the complications of creating fingers on her hands but experimented with her feet, which can do bending backwards and forwards, like the type of exercises ballerinas do.

I am so much into crocheting toys at the moment, – it’s truly is fun and the results are so nice to hold in your hands. I picked up this hobby only couple of months ago. Where was I all these years before?

Amigurumi Alexander

Alexander, my 8 year old son, asked to be a Knight. He even told me what colour doublet (a puffy coat under the armour) he should wear and chose his toy sword on the eBay . All of it was influenced by the BBC production ‘Merlin’.

I had to dig up the Internet to study the armour and its parts and history, and can now show off some old world terminology in a clever conversation (making sure I’m not talking to an expert).

So here he is, in his full glory.

Alexander in doublet — Alexander wearing his red Doublet with the lower arm Vambraces.

– Wow Alexander! You can be a Knight of Camelot! – Catherine! I am!

Carrying provisions from the market – courtesy of http://www.doubletrebletrinkets.co.uk

A spontaneous after the photo-shoot shot. Alexander is the only man standing.

The skeleton start

The X-ray vision of his hands

The belt that you never see

The doublet

He can even stand unaided

Amigurumi#4 – Alice, the ballerina

My first commercial order. Alice, 11cm tall, this time with 5 fingers on each hand, which can be bent individually – very important for ballet positions!

Daniel (5) asked not to give it away, saying – It can be him in our family collection! 😂

My hands are itching to make more of them, but I promised Alexander (8) that he would be the next. He keeps asking me every day ‘Am I done yet?’ So on I go to the next project..

Which position is this? Anyway, the skirt is reversible.

The star performance at the Royal Opera House

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And here is a little evolution diary

What you will she in her X-ray

I can stand by myself!

Amigurumi no.2 – meet Sofia.

– Can I read your book, please, Sofia? You can try on my new red shoes!

– All right then. But save my page!

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– When I grow up I’ll have a pet… like this Hotdog, the dog..

– Naaa, I bet you’ll have a cat!

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– Sofia, do you want to see my drawings?

– Hmm… The one of the panda is not too bad.

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Meet Sofia, the older sister. She loves reading, so much as she often reads while cleaning her teeth, or walking on the street, not to mention eating lunch or as the last thing before bed.

She took me as much time as painting 4 portraits would. Her sister Catherine acquired new shoes and a sketch pad in the process.